Put Away Childish Things

“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:11-13

There is a balance to be kept in the Christian life. On the one hand, we are to exemplify the wholehearted faith and trust of a little child; on the other hand, we are to put away childish ways.

Childish: self-absorbed, “me first,” fearful, testing limits - just some of the characteristics of a childish lifestyle. Paul said he did away with childish things - a teaching method used by Paul which indicates that the true disciple of the Lord Jesus ought to follow his example.

Are there childish patterns cut into your way of thinking? Do you tend to act or think childishly when confronted with certain situations in life? Can you say that you are fully mature in all you do? What events or patterns, which took root in your life as a child, still have their hold on you, keeping you emotionally in a childish state? Are there fears or memories whose grip you’ve never broken?

Putting away childish things may entail more than a maturing of your lifestyle. It may include a painful healing of the past, a release from childhood fears or terrors. To become the expression of God’s love to the world around you may require the Father hand of God wiping the tears from your eyes.

Growing up in Christ requires a giving over of all that you are and have.

Come to Jesus...

“Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:8-13

One of the most common qualities of childhood which comes to an adult’s mind is that of innocence. A child look at the world through eyes that accept things as they see them. They take everything literally.

How tragic to lose our innocence. We need to be wise and discerning, but we lose immeasurable wonder and discovery when our innocence is snuffed out by the harshness of others around us, by tragic events or painful experiences. Jesus added a new dimension to childlike innocence when He says, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”
(Mark 10:14).

As you’ve grown from childhood, have you maintained an innocence in your relationship to God? Can you come to Him with face uplifted, expecting His loving smile? Or are you unable to meet His gaze because you are burdened by guilt, afraid of His condemnation?

Come to Jesus like a little child comes to a parent. Picture that occasion in your mind now as you approach God in a time of prayer and meditation upon His Word. Hold out your arms to Him and say, “Father, lift me up!”

Innocence is not a state of mind, but a believer’s forgiven relationship with God.

Stifled Love, Part 2

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.”  1 Corinthians 13:1-8

Paul defines the positives of love by writing what love is not -
- is not jealous.
- does not brag.
- is not arrogant.
- does not act unbecomingly.
- does not seek its own.
- is not provoked.
- does not take into account a wrong suffered.
- does not rejoice in unrighteousness.
                   
Each one of those avenues, when ignored, leads to a life of stifled love, a condition which extinguishes the burning flame of true, genuine, God-given love. Are any of those qualities lacking in your life, keeping you from expressing the love of Jesus to others?
       
“Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know;
Spirit, breathing from above,
Thou hast taught me it is so!
Oh, this full and perfect peace!
Oh, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His, and He is mine.”               
             - George W. Robinson

God, fill me with your unconditional love, and let me love others as you love me.

Stifled Love

“bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

Facing a cocky, skeptical, jeering crowd of students on a major college campus, Josh McDowell, brought about a complete, silent standstill to all conversation and heckling with one statement. “There are two things every one of you are afraid of. You are afraid you will never be loved; and secondly, you are afraid you’ll never be able to express real love to anybody else.” Think about it!

Those two issues loom before us like giant walls to be scaled. There are those who seem to have it all together, but the truth of the matter is we all stumble and fail at some point. Even though we know the Lord, we don’t always love like the Lord loves us.

You see, our human experiences with conditional and finite love are such poor representations of the real thing - God’s love. God’s love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all thing.” And above all that - “Love never fails.”

Afraid you will never be loved - afraid you’ll never be able to express love...

True Love, Part 2

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is _____________.
Without referring to the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, how would you complete that phrase?

Many have tried to solve that puzzle, and sometimes their solution seems more puzzling than the question. Sonnets have been written, essays on the emotion and breadth of love - some successful; some utter flops. The point is love is an elusive butterfly, both (it seems) to experience and to describe.

One who succeeded in a marvelous expression concerning love was Jeremy Taylor. He wrote: “Love is the greatest thing that God can give us, for Himself is love; and it is the greatest thing we can give to God, for it will also give ourselves, and carry with it all that is ours. The apostle calls it the bond of perfection; it is the old, the new, and the great commandment, and all the commandments, for it is the fulfilling of the law. It does the work of all the other graces without any instrument, but its own immediate virtue.”
               
Write your own expression of love as you contemplate Paul’s wonderful description in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians. “Love is...”

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Love - the old, the new, and the great commandment - and all the commandments...

True Love

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
                           
Some of the most memorable statements are those that are conveyed in the least number of words. “Give me liberty, or give me death,” cried Patrick Henry. “What hath God wrought?” - the statement following the first wireless transmission of sound. “The Eagle has landed” marked a giant leap in space travel and technical success for the American exploration of space.

“Love never fails.” Paul’s clear, confident, purposeful, concise statement packs a life-changing (even world-changing) truth. When God’s love is expressed through the life of any one of His children, it ricochets off the canyon walls of our doubt and skepticism, reverberating that truth over and over again - “Love never fails.”

The kind of love that never fails is TRUE LOVE! It is the purest form of love ever known to mankind - discovered in God’s personal message of love - Jesus Christ. His life was (and is) the perfect example of love unlimited!
                               
Allow yourself, as God’s child, to be an expression of His love to those around you. Where there is a lack of love, or one who seems unlovely or impossible to love, let God express His love through you. For surely - “love never fails.”

True love: The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

Living Without Love

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

LOVE! A popular 60's tune jingled: “All you need is love - love is all you need.” But how shallow and tragically disappointing many have found “love” to be. Due to the lack of love, many have been drawn to fill this void through any number of dead-end avenues.

The best guide is someone who has already been there, one who knows the source of love can best guide another back to that source. The great revivalist Charles Wesley tasted God’s love and expressed its savor in these descriptive words:

“Love, divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav’n, to earth come down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling;

All Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter ev’ry trembling heart.

Finish then Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.”

“O taste and see that the Lord is good...” (Psalm 34:8).

“...but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:3

A Life Changing Prayer

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:9-14

Let these thoughts from the great man of prayer, E.M. Bounds, give rise to action in your life.

“Faith gives birth to prayer, and grows stronger, strikes deeper, rises higher, in the struggles and wrestlings of mighty petitioning. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the assurance and realization of the inheritance of the saints. Faith, too, is humble and persevering. It can wait and pray; it can stay on its knees, or lie in the dust. It is the one great condition of prayer; the lack of it lies at the root of all poor praying feeble praying, little praying, unanswered praying.

It is not the intellectually great that the church needs; nor is it men of wealth that the times demand. It is not people of great social influence that this day requires. Above everybody and everything else, it is men and women of mighty prayer, men and women after the fashion of the saints and heroes enumerated in Hebrews, who ‘obtained a good report through faith,’ that the church and the whole wide world of humanity needs.”

Are you occupied with the deep desire to know God? To be apart of His great work in the lives of others? To give yourself to intercede for them? Do you want to see God change someone’s life? Here is His prayer plan.

Eye-to-Eye Contact

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:8-11   

Guidance: one of the crucial areas of the Christian life and one lined with more questions than answers (or so it seems). All of us find ourselves in situations in which we dearly need to know what course of action God wants us to take. Sometimes the options are numerous, varied, and enticing. How do you go about choosing or deciding? How do you get God’s guidance?

Volumes have been written about this subject, and people have talked for hours about guidance - but the best of them lead the seeker to search for God’s eye (“I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”). If your search for God’s guidance is leading you to mental, spiritual, and emotional gymnastics - stop. Take time to focus your attention upon God and get eye-to-eye contact with Him. It’s amazing what doesn’t even have to be verbalized when you look someone in the eye.

Read the Psalms. Get a clear view of your Father Who offers you all that you need in order both to know and do His will. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:6.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”  Psalms 32:8

A Man After God’s Own Heart

“After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’ From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus.”  Acts 13:22-23

What in God’s heart found delight in David? What did David do that caused God to make that statement about him? With man’s free will comes the possibility of wrong choices and sin. God says the desire of David’s heart was to “do all My will.” That is key.

As you examine the Old Testament narrative which surrounds David’s life, you see his uniqueness. Probably his greatest quality which draws us to him is that David was a man who was subject to a range of emotions with which we can identify. He was a real person with real feelings, doubts, fears, joys, sorrows, and a real relationship with God.

A stand-out feature of David’s inner being was his constant awareness of God’s presence and purpose. Next to that awareness was a transparent heart before God - one which meditated on the Word of God and took time for praise and worship.

There are many things in life you can focus upon, but none which will bring greater eternal reward than to be a man (or woman) after God’s heart and to do all His will.

What was David’s role? To do all God’s will. And your role?

He is Your Refuge

“And David spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said,
‘The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge;
My savior, You save me from violence.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.
For the waves of death encompassed me;
The torrents of destruction overwhelmed me;
The cords of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
“In my distress I called upon the Lord,
Yes, I cried to my God;
And from His temple He heard my voice,
And my cry for help came into His ears.’”  Samuel 22:1-7

When you live in places where it is snowy and cold, you can’t help but be envious or at least curious when you see commercials of Florida or California in the winter. Sunshine, temperatures between 65-75 degrees, and then the commercial ends with the phrase, “I need it bad.” The result is we have now come to use the name “snowbirds” for those who winter in states that offer warmth and better weather conditions.

Whether we enjoy the beach, the mountains, the woodlands, desert, the farmland, or the city, there’s always that “special place” that brings joy and refreshment. And we are drawn there from time to time to collect ourselves and renew our perspective on life.

God draws us to Himself in order to accomplish that same purpose - in our spirit. When the spirit of a man or woman is rested, refreshed, and directed by an awareness of God’s presence, that person can run on his feet but walk in calmness in his spirit - a quality greatly needed in our hurry-up world.

Trust me - take time each day to meet with God.
“You need it bad!”

The High Price of Sin

“‘Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.’” 
2 Samuel 12:10-12

It’s interesting how children like to make up their own games. I suppose kids have been doing this ever since the game was invented, but have you seen a child play with a set of dominoes? They stand them on end, make a line with the pieces, then knock the end piece over, and watch as the whole line - one by one - is knocked down.

Well, sin is no game, but its effect is the same as that string of domino pieces when it comes to the lives of men and women. Known, willing disobedience to God starts a downward trend, and like the dominoes, a person’s life (which has taken so long to build) begins to fall - piece by piece.

Do you find yourself today on the brink of upsetting that first domino piece? Are you contemplating an act which will lead to the ruin of your life? How many times do you suppose David caught himself wishing he’d taken a different course of action?

Regret is a hard partner to live with. Your conduct today can have continuing consequences for the rest of your life. How are you building for your future?

“Watch over your heart with all diligence,
for from it flow the springs of life.”  Proverbs 4:23

A Moment of Weakness

“Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, ‘Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, ‘I am pregnant.’” 
2 Samuel 11:2-5       

“Now in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. He had written in the letter, saying, ‘Place Uriah in the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck down and die.’”  2 Samuel 11:14-15

“Now when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. When the time of mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house and she became his wife; then she bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of the Lord.”  2 Samuel 11:26-27

“Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.’”  Samuel 12:13-14

The fifty-first Psalm is a contrite sinner’s prayer for pardon and contains a meaningful pattern for the repentant person to follow. These are the elements of true confession. The writer is under the heavy conviction for his sin. He takes personal responsibility for his sin. He is likewise convicted that his sin was ultimately against God. He fully admits his guilt.

Then when guilt is admitted, David asks God to cleanse him from sin. “Purify me...wash me...blot out all my iniquities” (Psalm 51:7, 9). Then comes what is probably the heartfelt core of this sinner’s prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12).

Rejoice that we have a God Who has made a way for our sins to be completely forgiven; a God Who forgives and forgets; a God Who loves unconditionally and receives every repentant son and daughter.

A Man of Prayer

“Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord God. Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord God! For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know. For this reason You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.’”  2 Samuel 7:18-22
                           
What a beautiful word picture of complete trust, rest, and confidence in God, our Father. Prayer and meditation upon God are the avenues through which these may be experienced. Would you like to experience that kind of composed and quieted soul? Follow David’s extraordinary example found in Psalms 26-27, 63, and 131. Each Psalm resounds with a foundational trust in the faithfulness of God.

There is great value in being a person of prayer, and we have many example from which to draw encouragement and motivation. “The men who have most fully illustrated Christ in their character, and have most powerfully affected the world for Him, have been men who have spent so much time with God as to make it a notable feature in their lives.”

A great man of prayer, “Dr. Adoniram Judson impressed an empire for Christ and laid the foundation of God’s kingdom with imperishable granite in the heart of Burma. He was successful; one of the few men who mightily impressed the world for Christ” (E.M. Bounds).

The problem of our generation is not unanswered prayer, but prayers unoffered.

The True Test of Character

“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Examine me, O Lord, and try me;
Test my mind and my heart.
For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
And I have walked in Your truth.”  Psalm 26:1-3

That’s the kind of statement which every believer ought to be able to make when an adversity. But how many of us “blow it” by impatience, anger, and other attitudes.

From the time we first meet young David in the narrative of 1 Samuel to the time of David’s death, we continue to see a man whose actions set him apart from his contemporaries - and it’s not just that he is the anointed king of Israel. David exhibits an ability to walk in the world in a blameless way.

These 10 character qualities in David’s life are noteworthy. He was:
Forgiving
Cautions
Patient
Loyal
Compassionate
Respectful
Alert
Humble
Prayerful
Grateful

David’s spirit is beautifully reflected in Psalms 86 and 103. Read them and agree with David, making your life a psalm of praise to God.

“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity,
And I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.” 
Psalm 26:1

When it Seems Like God Doesn’t Answer

“Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.’”  1 Samuel 28:3-7

“Now Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.’ So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. He said to his servant, ‘Go up now, look toward the sea.’ So he went up and looked and said, ‘There is nothing.’ And he said, ‘Go back’ seven times. It came about at the seventh time, that he said, ‘Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.’ And he said, ‘Go up, say to Ahab, “Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.”’ In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.”  1 Kings 18:41-45
                       
For one reason or another there may come a time in a Christian’s life when he or she may realize that God is not answering their prayers. At this point the natural response is to become discouraged and question God’s love and personal involvement in their life. Very likely you are on the verge of a dramatic discovery which may deepen, broaden, and strengthen your life in Christ.

If you find yourself in this place of uncertainty, observe the following cautions:

- Don’t confuse unanswered prayer with unheard prayer.

- If your prayer is not being answered, be very careful in selecting your next source of information.

- God answers “no,” “yes,” or “WAIT.” Sometimes “wait” is the hardest answer to accept.

- Be honest with yourself.

Humility and transparency are foundations for God’s effective work in our lives - elements which often come only through the process of brokenness. If you are a child of God, He hears your prayers, but remember that the answers come from an omniscient God Who knows all things, and His answers reflect His knowledge, His care, and His lordship.

Answers. Answers. Be careful where you get yours even if you have to wait.

Standing on Principle

“David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives. But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back. So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, ‘This is David’s spoil.’ 

When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, ‘Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart.’ Then David said, ‘You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us.’”  1 Samuel 30:17-23

How often we hear it said that one of the most difficult forces for young people to resist is peer pressure. “Everybody else is doing it.” How often has that statement preceded a plea from child to parent? But all the peer pressure does not subside once we leave the hallways and classrooms of high school and college. Peer pressure exerts itself in the shop, the factory, the high tech facility, and offices in every conceivable fashion.
               
God’s people need to learn to deal with peer pressure. Unfortunately, many fall prey to its pressure for the simplest reason: they think the way everybody else thinks. Maybe that’s what the Apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...” (Romans 12:2).

It may be that you need to take a stand against a popular way of thinking in your home, school, or place of business. There are those who are looking for an alternative - just like you. Be bold and, like David, give a godly option.

“The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.” Proverbs 11:3

How to Encourage Yourself

“Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire; and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way. When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep. Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”  1 Samuel 30:1-6

David’s experience at Ziklag was probably remembered by him as one of the lowest points in his long ordeal of running from Saul. He los everything. Not only did he lose his wives and children, but the loyalty he had enjoyed from his men suffered a terrible blow. But David profited from this experience. He had been a winner. No wonder he had the respect of the nation. But one of God’s principles came into play there at Ziklag.

Principle: Whenever God chooses to use someone, they will go through the process of brokenness before their usefulness can be effective for God’s purpose.

What may appear to be a disastrous event in your life may prove to be God’s instrument to bring you to the place of brokenness - complete awareness of your own inability and total dependence upon God. Examine the lives of any of the great missionaries or church leaders of the past 100 years and you’ll be bale to find people who failed miserably - until in brokenness they learned the secret of dependence upon the resources and wise plan of Almighty God.

Hardship. Even tragedy. One more step toward effective usefulness.

True Friendship

“Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God. Thus he said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel and I will be next to you; and Saul my father knows that also.’ So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord; and David stayed at Horesh while Jonathan went to his house.” 1 Samuel 23:15-18

It’s normal to want to have friends. We all want to be unconditionally accepted by someone else and know the joy of loyalty and trust. The Bible provides many illustrations of great friendships. Some of these underwent difficult moments. Some dissolved, while some grew stronger through adversity.

Have you thought about why friendship is so important? The earthly joys we experience are merely glimpses of the eternal fellowship with the Friend of friends, our Lord Jesus. Is your life exemplified by a handshake or an arm outstretched in loving care?

“Blessed are they who have the gift of making friends, for it is one of God’s best gifts. It involves many things, but above all, the power of going out of one’s self, and appreciating whatever is noble and loving in one another.”

One of the enemy’s subtle traps is to get us to think that another person does not want to be your friend. The truth might be that they are as hungry for true friendship as you. Take a bold step today and explore the avenue of friendship!

“A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

What is God Up to in Your Life?

“Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.” Psalm 16:1

David’s life gives repeated evidence that in the midst of trials and adversity we seek God all the more. There must be within the very spirit of man an inner sense, a knowing, that life’s circumstances are often God’s voice to draw us to Himself.

While running from King Saul, many nights found David giving his body rest, but his mind and his spirit were continually searching for meaning, for encouragement, for strength to go on. He remembered the great things God had done in the past, and his hope was to experience God’s move in his life in the future.

Are you going through some dark time in your life right now where you seem to have lost your sense of inner direction? Do you sense the absence of God’s active presence in your life? Do you feel you are facing life’s challenges all alone?

Key in on David’s expressions of deep confidence and trust in God, even when he could not see the desired result. You’ll find many of them in the Psalms. You’ll identify with a man who was committed to God, loved God, and worshiped God but who walked in uncertainty about tomorrow and (like you and me) had to place his hope and trust in a faithful God.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart...”

And the Lord was With Him!

“The women sang as they played, and said,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.’

Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, ‘They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?’ Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand. Saul hurled the spear for he thought, ‘I will pin David to the wall.’ But David escaped from his presence twice.” 
1 Samuel 18:7-11

“David was prospering in all his ways for the Lord was with him. When Saul saw that he was prospering greatly, he dreaded him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, and he went out and came in before them.”  1 Samuel 18:14-16

After an astounding personal victory, David’s popularity unleashes in King Saul a deadly resentment and jealousy. And although David “had it all,” unlike his own son Absalom some years later, he never attempted to use his position to subvert the rule of King Saul. David lived an exemplary life with such wisdom that the whole nation was drawn to him.

You’ve finally taken an unyielding stand for Christ on the job. People know what you believe. Is there a co-worker or a boss who doesn’t “appreciate” your viewpoint? Is there someone who is mentally or verbally “throwing a javelin” at you? How are you responding? Are you defending your rights? Defending your opinion? Are you becoming angry and resentful?

Take David’s quiet example to heart. Behave wisely in all your ways. This statement portrays David with a sense of confidence (not pride), a deep respect for his superiors, and a mindset which led him to take care of his given responsibilities, faithfully. Don’t miss the underlying theme of David’s life - “and the Lord was with Him.”

Watch for misplaced confidence. Who you trust, when, and for what.

Facing Your Giants

“The Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine also said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.’ Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.’”  1 Samuel 17:43-47

When the name David is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is his confrontation with the giant Goliath. Unfortunately, we tend to look at David’s unprecedented victory as an isolated, “once-upon-a-time,” never-to-be-repeated event. BUT there are giants roaming our 21st century world - giants who are intimidating the people of God.

Crime, pornography, abortion, government-approved gambling, drugs, and the use of alcohol, godless philosophies and religious cults - these are giants. They say, “Your God has no power.” Far too many of use have responded in fear and retreated to the safety of a self-satisfying life-style. There are some “Davids” out there who are fully confronting these “Goliaths.” They do battle against a seemingly unbeatable foe.

David’s response to Goliath can be modernized. Today’s “David” can say, “You come to me with your list of ‘rights,’ the cry for political correctness, the threat of lawsuits. But I come to you in the name of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ Whom you have defiled. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand.” Now that’s conquering faith for facing life’s foes.

“...for the battle is the Lord’s...” 1 Sam. 17:47

When God Chooses a Man

“Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.”  1 Samuel 16:1

“So Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, ‘Do you come in peace?’ He said, ‘In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” 
1 Samuel 16:4-7

How many times have you caught yourself playing the role of “the cross-eyed usher” (James 2:1-4)? It seems it is our nature to prefer those who have and avoided those who have not. Yet it’s plain from the Scriptures that God has a different code of ethics which He intends for His children to follow. Christ’s teachings to the multitudes and to the select twelve often clashed with the accepted thought of that day. His teaching was hard to understand - and harder to follow.

God sees deeper into a man or woman than those around them can or do. Can you tell just by looking at their outward appearance which one out of a hundred will compose a piece like Handel’s Messiah or play the piano like Dino or discover so many practical uses for the common peanut as George Washington Carver or invest their productive years helping people in a third world country to better their lives and draw them to the love of Jesus?

Seek to look beyond the mask others wear and, by God’s help, discover the potential which may hide there. Who knows? You may make a wonderful discovery when looking at the heart.

“What you see is what you get”? Not necessarily.

The Tragic End to a Promising Beginning

“Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.’ Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.’” 
1 Samuel 15:20-23   

King Saul’s downfall was due to the fact that logic and self took the place of simple obedience to the revealed will of God. Lest we find ourselves too eager to criticize this great man, remember that he was chosen by God, and as anointed king of Israel, he was uniquely touched by God’s Spirit to the point that he even joined the prophets and prophesied. He led the nation to many victories. He was a success in everybody’s eyes. Yet one area of Saul’s life remained unyielded even to God’s control. Saul never really learned to completely trust God.

Does your life look good to everyone on the outside? Are you considered a “success”? Do you seem to have it all together? Friend, it’s not impossible that even now you sense that the outside view is just a show. The inside is empty and shallow, full of fear and worry and doubt.
       
You don’t have to choose Saul’s route. His life is a sad example of the tragic end to a promising beginning. Saul’s downfall was disobedience. And in this day of grace, don’t underestimate the importance of complete and immediate obedience to God.

There’s the outside where people see what you want them to see. And there’s...

A Promising Beginning

“Then all the people said to Samuel, ‘Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for ourselves a king.’ Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile. For the Lord will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the Lord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way. Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.’”
1 Samuel 12:19-24

A study of the Old Testament historical books is incomplete without a recognition of God’s unique work through the reigning judge or prophet. These rugged individuals were instrumental in keeping a nation on course in time when they were drawn (and sometimes driven) by neighboring nations. One of the great prophets was a man who was on the scene as the people of Israel made their fateful decision that they would be like other nations and have a king.

A cursory reading of 1 Samuel 3-12 will give you an appreciation for this unique man of God who stood as a special link between Israel and God. He was a man of deep conviction regarding the need to follow God as an individual and as a nation. He was a source of calm strength when all around was cause for concern (if not outright panic).

In every generation God is looking for those who will emulate Samuel’s spirit. How our homes, our churches, our communities need Samuels - men (and women) whose presence brings a sense of godly peace and assurance that God is in control.

Godly calm and assurance are possible even when others panic.

Living Above Our Circumstances, Part 2

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39

The words “living above our circumstances” bring to mind a tape recording in which a 21-year-old man talked to his family about what he was having to deal with in life. His words reflected a deep desire to share the gospel with some of the toughest men he’d ever known. In past months, his life had taken a drastic turn from that of Bible college student to a member of the 101st Airborne Division stationed in Vietnam.
           
Where once the most pressing concern centered on tomorrow’s biology exam, now death was an everyday occurrence. Many men crumbled under the pressure. But this young man’s faith soared, encouraging those around him because in those life and death struggles, he made the wonderful discovery of how to live above his circumstances.

Read for yourself the letters which the Apostle Paul wrote to the New Testament church (the epistles). They are filled with affirmations of God’s presence in and through every situation faced in life. From temptation to trail to persecution, God has made the provision for us to be living above our circumstances!

Find the evidence of God’s presence in Paul’s New Testament letters.

Living Above Our Circumstances

“Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:12-21   

Many look at a new calendar year and see a clean sheet before them, a time to set new objectives or reinforce past choices. On the other hand, there are many who see the new year as just one more bleak day-to-day existence through which they are forced to suffer and endure. Both outlooks need to face life’s circumstances with hope and faith. But where does one draw upon such resources?

Let’s set a standard for today, this year, the rest of our lives. Let’s accept the truth that God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and through His Word, the Bible - and to His children, He reveals Himself through the presence of His Spirit. Now those are resources! Face life with those resources at hand. You’ll find that even when you are confronted with difficult circumstances, you have the ability to live above them.

How can such a confident statement be made? Go back to our standard - God’s Word. You’ll see in the epistles how the Apostle Paul faced trial after trial. He was greatly persecuted, yet he was always triumphant because he learned the secret which we can learn - that of living above our circumstances.

“For to me, to live is Christ...” Phil. 1:21

Happy New Year!